Athens commission talks trash

Government and business reporter

Changes are coming to downtown Athens, though no one quite knows what they will be yet.

Preliminary ideas presented Tuesday night to the Athens-Clarke County Commission included 29 fewer parking spaces on the streets, but wider sidewalks and conceivably better visibility for cars backing out, and special areas for garbage produced by area bars and restaurants.

That last item was a sticking point for commissioners, as well as lingering questions on how the plan could mesh with ongoing work on a downtown master plan by University of Georgia professor Jack Crowley.

The Athens-Clarke County Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax Department, which administers the voter-approved taxes to various projects, presented its ideas to the commissioners and will play host to an open house for the public 5:30-7 p.m. Thursday at the Dougherty Street Governmental Building at 120 W. Dougherty St.

The corridors slated for work include East Clayton Street from Lumpkin to Thomas streets; North Jackson Street from Washington to Broad streets; and Wall Street from Clayton to Broad streets. The 2005 SPLOST sets aside about $7.1 million for the work.

Work would include replacing trees that Roger Cauthen, division administrator for the government’s landscape management team, called “near the end of their life span.”

A more controversial idea included implementing a garbage corral that staff argued could help solve the odor and appearance problem.

It would include a rolling cart to let restaurant and bar workers load it up before putting into the walled-and-locked area at some corners in downtown. In theory, it would hide the garbage bags and cardboard that can line downtown sidewalks between the thrice-daily trash pickups by Athens-Clarke County. It could also aid with odor and stain issues, solid waste department officials said. But the idea stalled, and with it, another work session scheduled.

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